Bail-ear for vessels.



PATENTED AUG. 11, 1903.v

J. F. VOGT.

BAIL EAR FOR VESSELS.

APPLICIATION rum) MAR. 21. 1903.

H0 MODEL IN VE N 709 Jazz-WE 76 I A TTOfiNE 1 [5 sold tothe trade in headed vessels or pack- No.736,179. p t UNITED STATES Patented August 11, 1903.

JULIUS F. VOGT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO UNION OOOPERAGE COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BAIL-EAR FOR VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 7 3 6,179, dated August 1 1, 1903.

Application filed March 21, 1903- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JULIUS F. Voer, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented 5 a new and useful Improvement in Bail-Ears for Vessels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to ears for the attachment of bails to vessels; and it consists,

IO substantially, in the features of improvement hereinafter particularly described and claimed. i

i As is well known, of course, commodities of various kinds are frequently put up and ages-such as kegs, for instance-and, as is equally well known, large shipments of this kind are constantly being made by various dealers and manufacturers to different parts of the country, including the more remote or rural sectionsas, for instance, the farming districts. After the contents of such packages have been emptied or used up the kegs or vessels are frequently made use of for dif- 2 5 ferent purposes, it being not an uncommon practice among farmers'to improvise some sort of handle or bail therefor whereby the keg or vessel may be utilized either as a handbucket or a well-bucket or the like; but inasmuch as the farmer is usually without the necessary appliances or tools for performing work of this kind the resultant struotu re may be said to be crude at the most and is very often inadequate to withstand the strain imposed thereon in the different uses to which the vessel may be put[ a i The principal object of the present invention is to provide a headed package, as a keg or similar vessel, with a bail and attaching- 4o ear therefor, whereby on removal of the head thereof the said keg or vessel maybe converted into a bucket or similar structure, and

also to providean attaching-ear for the bails of vessels which is simple in construction and cheap tomanufacture, besides being strong and durable and possessing the capacity for long and continued service.

The above and additional objects are obtained by means substantially such as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which- Serial'll'c. 148.87'7- No modelJ Figurel is a view in perspective of a keg or similar vessel provided with my improved attaching device for the handle or hail of the Vessel. Fig. 2 is an enlarged View in detail, showing my improved bail-attachingdevice as it appears from the outer side thereof; and

pear, the device being capable of being applied to or removed from its position on the vessel with ease and facility: 7

Specific reference being had to the accompanying drawings by the designating characters marked thereon, 1 represents an ordinary keg or similar vessel, constructed of the usual vertical staves 2, which are maintained in proper relative position by means of the encircling bands or hoops 3, a similar hoop or band 4 also encircling the chime of the vessel, it being noted. at this point that While my improved device is applicable to open-ended vessels of various kinds the sameisintended moreespecially for Vessels having closedheads therefor, as indicated at 5 in Fig. l. Secured to the upper edge of the chime of the vesseh at diametrically opposite points to each other, is my improved bail-attaching device 6, the same being formed of any suitable metal and constructed with an outer wing 7 and an inner wing 8, respectively, the two said Wings 0 being integrally united by means of a connecting portion 9, the distance between the adjacentsurfaces of the said Wings being substantially equal to the distance between the inner surface 10 of the upper chime of the vessel and the outer surface of thehoop or band 4, encircling such chime, as shown and as already referred to. The connecting portion 9 between the two said wings is formed or provided with an eye-loop 11, in which is received the hooked end 12 of an ordinary bail 13, formed of wire or other suitable material-for the purpose, the said end of the bail beingloosely held in the said eye-loop, whereby the bail may be folded to one side or the otherto rest substantially in a horizontal position when the keg or vessel is not in use. As will be observed, the inner wing 8 of the device is considerably less in height than the said outer Wing 7 thereof, the lower edge of said inner Wing 8 practically resting upon the adjacent surface portion of the head 5 of the vessel, and incidentally this construction and organization assists in maintaining the head of the vessel in place, as is apparent. Kegs or vessels of this kind are frequently employed for the shipment of pickles, vinegar, syrups, and other articles or substances for use or consumption, and in order that such contents of the keg or vessel shall not be injured or contaminated by contact therewith of metallic portions I purposely avoid securing my improved bail-ear to the Vessel by rivets or other means which extend all the way through the sides of the vessel, which isacommon construction in the use of similar bail-ears for metallic vessels. Instead of such form of fastening I employ a screw or similar device 14:, passing through an opening 15 therefor at the lower part of the outermost wing 7 of the device, said screw entering the side of the vessel for a part only of the thickness thereof, and in this way the car may be firmly held in position in a manner to withstand all strain which may be imposed thereon in use. tion 9 between the two wings of the device may be straight across or horizontal,if de sired; but I prefer to give to the same an inclination, as shown, corresponding with the inward bevel 16, formed around the upper edge or chime of the vessel. (See Fig. 3.) It will be noted that the opening for the screw is so located as to bring the fastening for the ear to a point directly beneath the lower edge of the band 4, surrounding the chime of the keg, and in thisway the security of the fastening is increased, since the portion of said band adjacent each opening 15 tends to preserve the integrity of the edge of the opening, thereby preventing the screw from readily working loose. 1 Moreover, the

band assists, in a measure, to receive part of The connecting porsel is available for use as a bucket or the like, as already mentioned.

While I have herein illustrated a certain preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I am not limited to thegprecise details thereof in practice, since immaterial changes therein may be resorted to coming within the scope of my invention.

By forming the connecting portion 9 between the two wings at an inward and downward inclination the integral connection of the eye-loop 11 with such portion is brought below the outer angular bend 17 of the car, which thus gives to said bend practically the function of a guard for preventing breaking off or distortion of the eye-loop from contact with external objects from the outer side thereof. Moreover, the described construction of the said connecting portion 9 also facilitates the insertion within the eye-loop of the hooked end of the bail, and such end is prevented from accidentally slipping out of place due to the partial interposition thereagainst of that part of the upper surface of the said portion 9 lying between the outer side of the eye-loop and said angular bend 17.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure-by Letters Patent- A headed keg or similar vessel, having the edge of the chime thereof beveled inwardly and downwardly, and having a band surrounding said chime, said vessel being provided with a bail, and formed at diametrically opposite sides thereof with openings, located directly beneath the lower edge of the band, and an attaching-ear for each end of the bail, comprising an outer wing, an inner shorter wing and an integral connecting portion between the two, said portion being inclined in correspondence with the said beveled edge of the chime and having integral therewith an eye-loop, receiving a hook on the bail, the connection of said loop with the portion named being below the outer angle between the latter and the outer wing, said outer wing fitting against the band, and extending below'the latter, and being formed with an opening registering with one of the openings in the keg, and said inner wing having its end bearing on the head of the keg, and a fastening-screw passing through the one opening and entering the other.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JULIUS F. VOGT.

Vitnesses:

FRANCIS H. BRINKMANN, CHAS. O. WEBER. 

